Chapter 9 - The Hidden Orc Fortress

The wind howled violently through the icy mountain pass, sending flurries of snow cascading down the jagged cliffs. Emily and Kael struggled to move forward, their bodies barely able to withstand the merciless cold.

Ray, as always, remained unaffected.

Emily exhaled sharply, her breath visible in the frigid air. With a wave of her hands, a faint shimmer surrounded them. Their presence faded from sight, masked by her magic.

They pressed forward, deeper into the snow-covered valley, until the landscape abruptly changed.

What they saw left them speechless.

Beneath the frozen wasteland, hidden deep in the mountains, stood a vast and well-structured orc settlement. Unlike the harsh, icy exterior, this place was warm, filled with sturdy buildings made of dark stone, large bonfires flickering in the streets, and orcs bustling about—eating, drinking, laughing.

The same massive orc from before sat at the center of a gathering, surrounded by others. They feasted, their guttural voices echoing through the cavernous space.

Ray's crimson eyes darkened. He tightened his grip on a small knife.

Without hesitation, he stepped forward, ready to strike—

"Ray, stop!" Emily grabbed his arm.

He shot her a cold glare.

"It's not safe to launch an attack here," she hissed. "Look around. We're completely outnumbered. We need a plan."

Ray exhaled sharply, eyes flicking back toward the orc gathering.

"I've seen enough to know something is off," he muttered. "As for a plan… we attack, cause chaos, and retreat to the entrance."

Emily sighed. "That's not a plan. That's suicide."

Meanwhile, at the center of the orc gathering, the big orc leaned back with a heavy sigh.

"That guy…" he muttered. "He was the Ghost Hunter. I don't even know if we'll be able to kidnap human children anymore."

Suddenly, his body tensed. A strange presence loomed behind him.

Before he could react—

A flash of silver.

Ray moved like a phantom, blade slicing through the air, aiming straight for the orc's neck.

But before the strike could land—

A small hand grabbed his arm.

Ray froze.

A little orc girl stood in front of him, eyes filled with innocence and fear.

"Don't bully my father," she pleaded. "What did he do to you? If you're hungry, just come eat with us. We have plenty of food."

The room fell silent.

The large orc immediately pulled his daughter back, his gaze hardening. "Stay behind me."

The other orcs bristled, hands reaching for their weapons.

Emily and Kael exchanged wary glances.

"…Where did the other orcs go?" Kael whispered.

Before anyone could respond, a powerful force surged through the air.

A sudden, invisible pull yanked Ray backward.

Emily and Kael gasped as they too were caught in the same unseen force.

A tall orc woman emerged from the crowd, her body adorned in ornate robes. Magic crackled at her fingertips, her eyes gleaming with arcane power.

Ray landed on his feet, unfazed.

His gaze swept across the room, now filled with armed orcs encircling them.

His expression turned cold.

"If you think you can defeat me," he said, his voice chilling, "you're dreaming."

He took a step forward.

"And if you dare lay a hand on Emily or Kael—" His eyes gleamed with lethal intent.

"This entire place will witness what true death looks like."

A heavy silence fell over the room.

The weight of his words sent an unmistakable chill through the orcs.

No one moved.

Finally, an older orc stepped forward, his posture calm, yet firm.

"…We will let you go."

Ray narrowed his eyes.

The old orc sighed. "But first, allow me to explain our situation. And I deeply apologize for attempting to kidnap human children."

Emily and Kael listened carefully.

The old orc's expression darkened.

"Many years ago, the snow dragon Vaelrith Frostbane came to this land." His voice carried a heavy weight. "He burned our homes, destroyed our people. You can still see the ruins of his destruction."

He gestured toward the scorched stone structures in the distance.

"We were left with no choice. He demanded offerings—our own children."

A bitter silence.

"…But recently, we decided to offer human children instead." His eyes lowered in shame. "Yet now, you're here. If you kill the dragon, we won't have to sacrifice anyone ever again."

Ray remained expressionless.

The group retreated to a quiet corner.

Kael crossed his arms. "I think we should do it. If we kill the dragon, we avoid a battle with the orcs, and everything is resolved."

Emily nodded. "Ray?"

Ray glanced back at the orc girl from earlier.

"…Fine."

---

They reached the dragon's lair—a cavernous, frozen abyss.

Ray signaled Emily and Kael to stay back as he stepped forward.

But inside, something was off.

Vaelrith, the massive snow dragon, wasn't asleep.

He was breathing fire—not at them, but at a strange stone resting at the center of his lair.

The dragon turned, his icy blue eyes gleaming.

"Oh? My food has arrived?"

Before Ray could react, thick chains of ice erupted from the dragon's tail, ensnaring him.

"W-what—?!"

The chains tightened.

A cold, draining sensation seeped into Ray's body.

"Marvelous," the dragon purred. "You have so much life force… never-ending, in fact."

He greedily siphoned Ray's energy.

Emily's heart pounded. He's draining him!

She and Kael lunged forward.

Ray struggled against the chains, his strength rapidly fading.

He had fought countless enemies before. But this was different.

Emily slashed at the dragon's throat—

But before her blade could connect—

A second figure emerged.

From the dragon's umbilicus, a humanoid form took shape. A twisted fusion of dragon and man.

"I can move, you know."

The dragon's avatar grinned.

Before Emily could react, it launched forward, slamming into her shield.

The sheer force sent cracks rippling through the barrier.

Kael, meanwhile, darted toward the dragon's open mouth.

He raised a small sphere—

But the avatar moved impossibly fast.

A brutal punch sent Kael flying.

Emily gasped. "Kael—!"

She clenched her fists.

"Through the blessings of the Divine Goddess of Love, bless me with mana."

Her power surged.

A bright light ignited.

A phoenix materialized.

The dragon avatar smirked. "That bird…"

He struck before the summoning could fully complete.

In an instant, the phoenix was crushed.

Emily's heart sank.

"…That could've been a problem," the avatar mused.

His gaze flickered toward Kael—who, despite his injuries, still clutched a special arrow tipped with the strange stone.

"You're clever," the dragon growled. "And I hate clever people."

He slammed Kael into the ground.

The sickening crack echoed through the cavern.

Emily's face went pale.

Her mana drained. Her shield cracked.

Before she could react, the avatar's fist drove toward her face—

But at the last moment—

A blade severed the connection between the dragon's body and the avatar.

Ray stood.

His red eyes glowed with cold fury.

"Looks like dragons aren't so special after all."

The dragon's eyes widened.

"…This guy is bad news," he realized.

Panic set in.

Instead of fighting, the dragon hesitated.

"…Perhaps," he murmured, "I should tell him the truth."

Ray's sword hovered just an inch from the dragon's neck.

The dragon swallowed.

"Listen to me, great warrior. It was never me pulling the strings. It was him—the old orc."

Ray's expression remained unreadable.

"…If you don't believe me, look at that stone. Even when you nearly killed me, I never stopped burning it. Why would I prioritize that over my own life?"

He exhaled sharply.

"My life depends on keeping that stone alive."

Ray's grip on his sword tightened.

"…And if I don't?"

The dragon's eyes darkened.

"Then we all die."